Did Aerial Gunners have sidearms?

[NDShooter]

Hello everyone!

I'm trying to get a complete set up for my father in law. His father was an aerial gunner, staff sergeant in the 5th Air Corps, China Burma India theater that flew missions around the Pacific. I've posted his jackets and some of his other stuff on here before.

I can't find any info on if they were issued a sidearm or if they just "acquired" one. I figured they would want something in case they went down, which his did but not very far away from the air field.

Thanks
Cody

[Gunny Hartmann]

Most USAAF aircrew were issued M1911A1 pistols or so i have read!...

[harryamb2]

I agree with gunny.

[big ned]

I remember reading in Capt. Ted Lawson's excellent book "Thirty seconds over Tokyo" that all the crewmen onboard the B-25's for the Doolittle raid were issued with sidearms, namely 1911A1 Colt's, but some also carried knives as well. I recall Lawson himself chose to carry his own weapon, a .32 pistol that belonged to his wife.

Regards, Ned.

[GeneralPutnam]

On Of my neighbors Major John Grunow 448th Bomb Group. do know about the rest of the crew Carried a .45 He was shot down and captured. He didn't use it for the day and a half he dodged search parties as not to attract attention. and after the war his counseled carry was a lugar he brought back. He used to ask me to shoot the geese that crapped on his lawn with it. He was quite a character.

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He Flew a b-24